All aboard for Puffin Billy's 50th birthday celebration in Chesterfield's Queen's Park
Puffin Billy – the miniature train in Chesterfield’s Queen’s Park – is 50 years old and marking its half-century with a two-day celebration.
A family fun day on Tuesday, August 18 will include a sweet treat for young passengers and there will be a free activity to create a model train, which can be entered into a golden anniversary competition to win a prize.
On Wednesday, August 19, the track will showcase other miniature engines from across the country. Visitors will be able to walk around the track and get close to the fantastic examples. Puffin Billy will then be back in action from 1pm.
Puffin Billy will be open for rides in Queen’s Park from 10.30am to 4pm every day except Mondays during the summer holidays. Rides cost £2.50 with under threes riding for free. All miniature train rides are weather permitting.
Delighting generations of children, the miniature train operates during school holidays and special events.
The 10¼-inch gauge raiilway runs a 550-yard circular route around the park’s lake. It was laid by Cromar White Railways Ltd and built on a former British Railways trackbed site. The track was originally configured as an end-to-end line before being converted into its current layout, complete with a maintenance shed.
The Puffin Billy train is owned and operated by Chesterfield Borough Council which manages Queen’s Park and maintains the railway infrastructure.
Specialist repairs had to be carried out to the track in 2007 and 2023 when the infrastructure was damaged by flooding caused by torrential rain.
*Email your photos and recollections of rides on Puffin Billy to: [email protected]